Charles Gravier Quotes

Secrecy is the first essential in affairs of state.

It is the custom of the Roman Church which I unworthily serve with the help of God, to tolerate some things, to turn a blind eye to some, following the spirit of discretion rather than the rigid letter of the law.

I want to stress that at no time Bolivia acts untimely or irresponsibly.

It's better to have a dialogue with your enemies than not.

It is natural to have differences and still remain friends.

They put aside the talk of peace and instead acted for peace.

Avoid what will require an apology.

We are not nave enough to ask for pure men; we ask merely for men whose impurity does not conflict with the obligations of their job.

I am not going to spend any time whatsoever in attacking the Foreign Secretary. Quite honestly I am beginning to feel extremely sorry for him. If we complain about the tune, there is no reason to attack the monkey when the organ grinder is present.

In the tough and dangerous world in which we live a President must always say what he means and mean what he says.

Perhaps it is better to be irresponsible and right than to be responsible and wrong.

There isn't any rule in diplomacy that can't be broken.... There are times when diplomatic principles should be violated, but when you violate them you ought to know you're violating them.

There is no debt more lawful than the word of a just man nor anything which binds our actions more than a promise.

All eyes, all hopes are fixed on you; and were you to decline, the chagrin would be universal. [Monroe went to France.]

I was no longer the man whose mistake could involve the world in war.

Perhaps the society has been too quick to understand and too slow to condemn.

Treat your friends as if they were going to be your enemies one day.

We have to develop preventive diplomacy.

The gap is widening between France’s proud diplomatic rhetoric and the nation’s ability to translate words into action.

Above all gentlemen, not too much zeal.

Great nations like great men must keep their word.

How can we expect others to keep our secrets if we cannot keep them ourselves?

Nations are what their deeds are.

Never point a rifle at anyone unless you’re willing to pull the trigger. If we say something is unacceptable to us, that means we can never accept it.

The United States will have the honor of proving experimentally, that true policy goes hand in hand with moderation and humanity.